Little Nicky 2: The Return of Adrian
by Michelle Leigh Earls
Summary: What can Nicky do when his brother Adrian returns for revenge and . . . LOVE? Not exactly my best work, but I think this could turn out really well. Read it and see what you think, anyway.
1. The Beginning

Satan sat in his throne room, watching over the damned souls sent to him every day. Jimmy, the demon, ushered Hitler in at 4 o' clock as was expected every day, to have a pineapple shoved up his ass. Satan sighed, his job as Prince of Darkness no longer fun since his sons had left. Yes, Adrian and Cassius had deserved their punishment, but it was becoming lonely as Pop - Lucifer - was growing older and Nicky was living happily on Earth with Valerie and little Zachariah.

Satan sighed again as he picked up a large pineapple out of a large chest filled with pineapples. He was about to shove it into Hitler's ass when a large realization hit him. "**_Jimmy!_" **he shouted, dropping the fruit and letting it splatter all over the floor. "**_Jimmy, the flask! It's gone!_**"

"That's impossible, your Highness!" argued Jimmy, rushing to his Master's side. "There is no possible way for the flask to disappear from Hitler's . . ."

"**It's gone, Jimmy.**" Satan gave him a stern look to show his seriousness. "**The only way it could have possibly disappeared is if Hitler removed it or . . .**" He stroked his small beard in fear of the only other possibility. "** . . . or Adrian has become stronger than we could have ever deemed possible**."

"If he did become that powerful, then why isn't he here?" Jimmy asked, his brow creased with worry.

"**He won't try to take over Hell right now, Jimmy**." Satan slowly sat down on his thrown. "**Adrian is too smart for that. He will be out for revenge . . . and the first person he would go after would be Nicky. We have to warn him . . . _Get me my Hell phone!!_**"

Jimmy rushed around Hell until he was able to find the Hell phone. Holding it carefully with an oven mitt, Jimmy handed the phone over to Satan. "Here you go, boss." He held up another object, this one silver. "I, uh, also found this, boss." It was the silver flask which had encased both Adrian and Cassius. One look inside told Satan Adrian had killed Cassius, robbed him of his powers, and escaped his imprisonment.

Satan picked up the phone and dialed his favorite son's phone number. When he heard Nicky's voice answer, Satan smiled and said, "**How are you, my son?**"

"I'm doing awesome, Dad." Nicky laughed a little into the phone. "How are things going in the deep south?"

Satan laughed a little at his son's joke. "**Son, I called to warn you. I fear Adrian has escaped and will be coming for you. I'll be sending Beefy over to help you keep an eye out for your brother.**"

"What about Cassius?" asked Nicky. "I can't do this on my own, Dad. Adrian is too strong."

Satan sighed, avoiding the flask with his eyes. "**Adrian killed him, Nicky. You are the only one who can stop him. I can't leave Hell and your mother will probably do whatever she can to help, but it is entirely up to you to defeat Adrian before he tries to create Hell on Earth again. Just remember, Nicky, he will come after you for defeating his plans the last time.**"

"I can't do this, Dad! I needed help from the Oz-man last time." Nicky's voice grew very serious. "If I couldn't defeat him last time, then what's to stop Adrian from coming after my family?"

"**Nicky, have a little faith in yourself. You can defeat Adrian as long as you have faith. Beefy will be with you and your family to help you out a little. Don't let any of your family out of the house.**" Satan glanced over into Nicky's old room, where Nicky's friends were now staying. "**I'll send your old friends, Jon and Peter, over, too. They weren't much help the last time, but who knows?**"

"Thanks a lot, Pop," Nicky told his father. "I won't let you down. I'll make sure Adrian is defeated and everyone is safe."

"**One more thing, Nicky.**"

"Yeah, Pop?"

"**Under no circumstances let your brother marry.**"

"What? Don't let Adrian get married? Why? What does that have to do with anything?"

Satan sighed. "**Because you decided to spend your life with Valerie and Cassius is now dead, Adrian is the soul heir to the throne of Hell. If he should marry, he will become the new Satan, no matter if I am still alive or not. He will become the first King of Darkness and, knowing Adrian, he will rule over Hell and Earth for all eternity.**" Satan paused, letting his dearest son take in all that information. "**Goodbye, Nicky, and good luck.**" He hung up the phone.

As he hung up his telephone, Nicky looked over at his family and sighed. He knew the task set out for him would be difficult and he wondered if this time he would come out of it alive.

_Meanwhile, on the other side of New York City . . . _

"Watch where you're going, young man!" shouted an old woman as a tall blond man bumped into her.

_If only you knew who I was, you'd think twice about telling **me** to watch where I'm going_. The man laughed to himself. Adrian took in a deep breath of air as he walked through the streets of New York. _I have missed Earth so much . . . I thought I'd never get out of that damn flask! Too bad Cassius had to die in order for me to escape, but that's life!_ He sat down on a bench in Central Park. _I will rule over Earth again and I will kill Nicky for trapping me in that flask . . . but first I have to find . . . _**her**.

The her to whom Adrian was referring was no ordinary woman. He had seen her walking through Central Park not long before his defeat and he had wanted to meet her, to understand the feeling of attraction he almost felt for her. Oh, she looked just about as ordinary as a piece of granite or a block of wood to be placed on a fire, but Adrian could sense something different about her deep inside. There was something about her that made Adrian feel more alive than before. She was the main reason he had escaped the flask. He wanted to find her, watch her and see exactly what it was about her which made him feel . . . _human_.

Adrian pulled out his bottle of Peppermint Schnapps, unscrewed the lid, and took a large swig, hoping to clear his mind of her. _I can't continue planning my revenge and conquest of both Hell and Earth if she's constantly on my mind_, he thought bitterly as he swallowed the liquid. He looked up at the setting sun and knew he had to get some rest. He closed the bottle of Schnapps and hid it in one of the pockets of his long, black, flame-bedecked coat before he rose to leave.

He arrived at a nearby Marion hotel, smiling pleasantly - or as pleasantly as possible for an evil spawn of Satan - at the cclerk. "Excuse me, I would like one of your best, most extravagent rooms. That is, if it's not too much trouble." He gazed deeply into her eyes, sending a wave of mind-control wistfully into her head to twist her thoughts and bend her to his will.

"We have the exact one you are looking for, sir," the woman said robotically. She moved mechanically to grab the key to the presidential suite and hand it to Adrian. "Room 666. Everything you need is in your room and if you need anything, feel free to call room service. If they ask, please tell them Margaret will pay for it."

"Thank you very much, Margaret," Adrian chuckled cruelly. "Have a pleasant evening."

He marched up the stairs in his arrogant style and entered his room, almost approving of the room chosen for him. If he had not known better, Adrian would have guessed he was back in his old room. The sheets were the black silk he remembered laying gently but kept on the large four-post bed meant for a king.

_Made for a king . . . _Adrian thought as he closed the blood-red curtains, blocking out the last few rays of sunlight. _When I am ready to take over Hell and Earth, I will find a way to appoint myself the first official **King** of Darkness. Then no one would ever stand in my way again. Not his father . . . not his brother . . . not even his little ragamuffin wife or son._

Adrian began drew water for a hot bath; the stenches of the flask and Hitler's ass had grown almost too much for him to bear. He stripped of his clothes and placed them in the clothes hamper, which he knew the cleaning lady would take care of and bring back to him by morning. Slowly, he eased into the hot water and was finally able to relax, already beginning to feel himself cleansed of the grime and stench of two years of imprisonment. As he washed himself, he vowed he would seek revenge on those who had imprisoned him. First, he would once again corrupt the people of New York, starting slower this time. Then, he would seek out Nicky and destroy him.

Adrian thought about Nicky's family for a moment. Little Zachariah was two now . . . he could hear everything his father said while he was caged inside the flask. He was half human, but he could not take any chances dealing with this child. He would have to destroy him as well . . . and that little wench Nicky had married, what was to be done about her? He might as well destroy her, too; there was no way Adrian would let her stay on this Earth if he were to rule over the mass population.

As he let the water out the bathtub, he patted himself dry and made sure a black robe was at his bedside for in the morning before he laid down under the warmth of his sheets and blankets. He laid his head down on the goose-down pillows and one thought popped into his mind. _I wonder if she still lives in New York._ Enraged with his immediate return to thoughts of that . . . **woman_, _**Adrian said decisively, "Tomorrow, I will go find her if I have to search all of New York and I will find out exactly why she is so different from the rest of these humans and why she is causing this upset feeling in my stomach!"

Having finally spoken, or rather shouted, his mind on the matter to the ceiling above his bed, Adrian turned over and let himself drift into a slumber filled with dreams of torture and hell breaking loose. In other words, everything he enjoyed . . . and **_not_** her.


	2. Preparing for What's to Come

As the first rays of sunlight poured through his window, Nicky climbed out of bed and headed immediately for the shower. As the warm water sprayed his back and traveled down his body, he realized just how frightened he was of the situation. He glanced in the mirror hanging on the wall across from the shower head. Last time he was up against Adrian, he almost failed. In fact, he would have if it weren't for the orb given to him by his mother moments before.

He turned off the shower and, once he was presentable, walked out to greet his wife, Valerie. "Good morning, sweetheart." He gently planted a small kiss on her forehead. "How did you sleep last night?"

Valerie sighed, a sign that told Nicky he wasn't going to enjoy the reply. "I would have slept a lot better if you told me what your dad was calling about." Valerie followed as Nicky walked into the kitchen. "Nicky, please, tell me what's going on."

Nicky started cutting up apples for their breakfast. "I don't want to concern you with the problems in Hell, Valerie. You hate everyone who lives there anyway, remember?"

Hands on her hips, Valerie was a force to be reckoned with. "Your father treated me very kindly at the wedding reception . . . and Jimmy wasn't so bad, either." She put a hand on his shoulder and turned him to face her. "It's about your brothers, isn't it?"

A sigh escaped Nicky's lips. "Valerie . . . Cassius is dead. Adrian killed him and robbed him of his powers so he could escape the flask." When Valerie gasped, he knew she wasn't going to enjoy the rest of the news. "Dad thinks Adrian will try to rule over Earth again as he did before . . . and he's afraid Adrian will be coming after me." He couldn't bring himself to tell her Adrian would try to harm them as well. "I'm going to have to take you somewhere safe so he can't use you to hurt me."

"We have nowhere to go," Valerie reminded him. "My family's dead and your family is either in Hell or is trying to send you there."

"Valerie, I'm going to take you and Zachariah to a shelter later today. You won't be close enough to me to be put in danger plus Adrian won't know where you are if you're not with me."

"But, Nicky . . ."

Nicky gently pressed a finger to her lips to silence her. "No buts, Valerie. I can't take a chance of letting you or Zachariah be put in danger." He glanced over at his brown-haired son, now two years old and enjoying the feel of oatmeal inbetween his small, chubby fingers. Nicky smiled at his young child before turning back to his wife. "I would never be able to live with myself if I let Adrian hurt either of you. Please, Valerie, do this for Zachariah . . . for the butterflies."

Valerie finally smiled a little. "Alright. I'll do it for Zachariah . . . _and_the butterfiles, too." She gave him a quick kiss before she started cleaning up their son.

Nicky looked out the window toward the rest of New York. _I know you're out there somewhere, Adrian_, he thought to himself as he scanned the horizon with a better-trained eye. _I'm going to find you, brother, and, so help me, I'll go back to Hell with you if I need to protect Valerie, Zachariah, and all the people on Earth_.

--

Angelique Dieudonné worked tediously at the shelter, knowing she had to hurry to her other job in order to not be fired. She poured another bowl of hot soup to the next poor soul who had nowhere else to go. Normally, she was deeply concerned with the people she was feeding, but now her mind was distracted with how late she would be staying that night in hopes she would earn the promotion she believed she deserved. Lucky enough for her, she had no one at home to worry about when she came home or any other sort of problems which came with relationships. Of course, Angelique had never had those problems before. Never before had she been given the chance to experience the comfort of a man's arms nor the feeling of being loved. Her parents had sought to that.

It was probably just as well, or so thought Angelique throughout her lifetime. Whenever she looked into a mirror, she could only think of one word to describe herself; _ordinary_. She had ordinary brown hair, which had been cut short and close to her head. _It never really looked good long, anyway. _Her eyes were an ordinary hazel, and she was of average height and weight. She had no need for glasses, which caused her to believe herself to be as ordinary as anyone could every become. Her parents constant reminder of how normal and common she would always be kept her feet firmly on the ground, not letting her imagination soar with the possibilities she could encounter during her lifetime.

Angelique quickly gathered up her things and punched out as she hurried out the door. If she was late for work again, she could lose her job and if that happened, she'd probably end up _living _in the shelter rather than _working_ at it. As she ran through the streets of New York, a chill ran up her spine and she kept getting the feeling as though she were being watched. She looked around hurriedly as she ran, but there was no one in sight. As she neared her workplace, she noticed a large, black crow which seemed to be gliding over her as she ran. It seemed almost as if the bird was following her.

_That's ridiculous_, she scolded herself. _Why would a dumb bird be following me? It's not like it actually **cares** where I'm going . . . or does it?_ She carefully kept an eye on the bird until she reached her workplace, where the bird turned and flew off in the opposite direction.

_That was creepy_. Angelique shook her head at her own nonsense and foolishness for believing a bird was actually following her to work. However, Angelique could not shake away the chill she felt earlier as she entered her warm workplace. _It almost felt as if the bird was . . . human. I better talk with Valerie . . . she'll know what to do._

--

Adrian watched from a distance as **she** entered the building. What was it that made her so alluring? Why did he have this large and nearly uncontrollable urge to sweep her off her feet and make her his right then and there? If she hadn't sensed his presence, he might not have been able to control that urge . . . but why was this happening to him? More importantly, how was she able to sense his presence as a _human_?

Adrian could have had his choice of any woman in Earth or Hell. The thought of chosing a bride from Heaven nearly made the eldest spawn of Satan vomit just thinking about it, so that was definitely out of the question. There were definitely more beautiful women both in Hell and on Earth, but why was it this particular woman that caught his attention? She was as ordinary as humans could come, yet there was this invisible force pulling Adrian toward her.

Adrian returned to his feathered form long enough to set foot on the ground before he stole an elderly man's slice of pizza. When the old man tried to protest, Adrian back-handed him, knocking him onto the ground. "That should teach you to mess with your future ruler, old man."

He took a large bite out of the pizza as he walked elegantly down the street, striding as if he owned New York. He smiled as several beautiful young women swooned at the sight of him. Adrian had always been the handsome one of the bunch, and he knew it well. He continued his prideful strut until he came to a woman with a bottle of Peppermint Schnapps. With a devilish smile and a kiss on her hand, he soon obtained the beverage and was on his way again. This was the part of Earth he enjoyed the most.

As he enjoyed th fauning of the women, his scheming mind was still distracted by that simple woman from the shelter . . . what was her name? _Angelique_. The very name of her brought back the very memory of all he had sensed about her. Her chocolate-brown hair, her mysterious hazel eyes, her wonderful figure . . . _For such an ordinary woman, I can find such uncommon vocabulary to describe her._ That very thought made Adrian even more furious. _What is it with that damn woman_??

Adrian walked into the Marion hotel, using his powers to once again gain a V.I.P. room without expense. As soon as he arrived in the suite, he picked up the phone and dialed room service, asking for a pizza and several bottles of Peppermint Schnapps. _Whatever is with that woman, I won't let it disturb me now._ He knew he could drown out her memory with the right amount of scheming . . . or the right amount of Peppermint Schnapps, whichever came first.


	3. A New Twist

_Adrian was walking down a long, dark corridor, keeping a wary eye open. _What's going on? _he thought to himself. _Where am I and how did I get here? _His questions remained unanswered as he continued on his journey, wherever he might be headed. He paused to look in one of the rooms, noticing some pictures on a table-top._

_The first picture appeared to be a family portrait, one of a family he did not even recognize._ Am I in some human's home? Why am I in the home of a human whom I fail to recognize? Is this some sort of joke? _He peered closer at the picture and noted a father, mother, and two daughters. While the picture had been meant to show a happy family, Adrian could almost see tension in all of their faces. It was as if they were not only happy, but they absolutely hated each other._

_Adrian picked up the next picture. A young woman, probably eighteen at the time, was smiling falsely at the photographer in her graduation robe and hat. At a closer inspection, it was obvious the woman was none other than Angelique Dieudonn__é. _How did I end up in Angelique's home? _Adrian wondered, placing the picture back down on the table._

_He left the room and continued down the hallway, wondering where to find the woman. Maybe if he could reach her and grow close enough to touch her, he could understand this power she had over him. Soon, he discovered another door which had been left slightly ajar. He snuck a peek around the edge of the door to find Angelique sleeping soundly on her bed. _

Well, whatever drew me to this woman, it definitely was not her wealth,_ Adrian mused as he crept into the bedroom. The small mattress on which she slept was only big enough for one, and even then it was too short for her. Adrian walked to her side and knelt until he was close enough to hear her breathing. _I wonder if I should touch her, would I discover the source of this repulsive sensation in the pit of my stomach? _He reached out to touch her neck and Angelique's eyes flew open._

Adrian sat straight up in his bed, fear claiming him as he tried to determine where he was at that present moment. Once his eyes had adjusted, he realized he was still in his room at the Marion hotel. He calmed himself down and slowed his breathing as he wiped the cold sweat from his brow. _It was only a dream . . . Why would I have a dream like that? _

Adrian rose from the bed and grabbed the robe in order to cover his nude body. As he knotted the robe-tie, the dream flashed through his mind again. "What is it with this damn lady?" he asked himself aloud. "There's nothing really attractive about her . . . besides her beautiful eyes and her large . . . aw, what the hell?! I can't even think bad about her. It's as if..."

Adrian froze as the thought of his possible attraction to the human was utterly repulsive. He shook his head and banished the thought. It was out of the question. Adrian, eldest son of Satan, could not and would not be attracted to a common human girl. It just was not going to happen; he wouldn't allow it.

Adrian hastily ordered a pizza to be sent up to his room immediately. He was not going to look for this woman. However, if he should run into her, he would confront her and find out exactly what the hell was going on.

--

Angelique woke with a start. "What a terrible dream," she muttered as she quickly clambered out of bed and began picking out an outfit to wear to the shelter. _That man standing over my bed . . . I know I've seen him somewhere before, but where?_ Angelique picked a dark pink turtle-neck sweater and a pair of flare jeans, changed, and grabbed an apple before she headed for the door.

As she passed her den, she thought she saw something out of the ordinary. She went back to the den, where her pictures sat on the table-top. covered in dust. If she had the time, she would tidy up in there a little more. However, the cleanliness of the room - or the lack thereof - was not important at the moment. She glanced over at her high school graduation photograph and nearly gasped. She had not been in the room for several days, yet the picture had definitely been moved and handled, as was obvious from the marks on the frame and the lack of dust in a certain area of the table. Some one _had_ been in her apartment last night.

Not quite sure of what to do, Angelique hurried back out the door, locked it, and hurried down to the shelter. Her boss, Valerie McNighty, was welcoming new arrivals to the shelter, a woman and her young son. "Hi, my name is Valerie and this is my son, Zachariah," the woman was telling Valerie.

"My name is Valerie, too," Mrs. McNighty laughed as she glanced at a few forms. "We have a nice room you and your son can stay in." She turned to Angelique. "Could you please show them to room six sixty-six, Angelique?"

The woman seemed surprised at the room number, but said nothing as Angelique led them through the corridors. "My name is Angelique Dieudonné and I'll be here if you need me between now and five p.m. All you have to do is call extension number forty-five and ask for Angelique." She opened the door to their room and allowed the two newcomers to enter. "There's a bed over there and we can get a smaller mattress for your son, if you need it."

"Thanks, but I think we have everything we need, Angelique," said Valerie, smiling weakly at the young woman. "I'll call if we need anything."

Angelique shut the door behind her as she started back down to her boss's office, determined to find out exactly what she may know about the events taking place so far. She walked into the office to find Valerie talking to a man with his back to Angelique. They were discussing something a little private, she assumed, for when she knocked on the door, they were quick to silence themselves. "Valerie, can I talk to you for a moment?"

"Sure, Angelique." Valerie turned back to the man in front of her. "I will speak to you again tomorrow at the same time, Mister Sutain, about your business proposition."

The man's smile was all but warm. "Of course, Missus McNighty. A pleasure doing business with you." He shook her hand firmly before strutting out the door.

As Angelique watched him leave, she noted the the way he walked was a bit like some one she once saw a long time ago . . . but who? She was also noticed a small tuft of light blond hair poking out from beneath his hat before Valerie brought her attention back to her boss. "So, Angelique, what did you need?"

"Val, remember when you said I could tell you about anything I noticed that seemed . . . paranormal?" Angelique sat down in the chair across from Valerie's desk.

Valerie sat at her desk and leaned forward. "Sure, honey. What's going on? Is everything alright?"

Angelique hesitated. "I'm not sure . . ." Quietly, Angelique explained the odd feeling she felt when the crow was flying above her on her way to work the day before. She also explained in specific detail the dream she had that very night and the picture which she found had been moved during the night. "Is something happening to me?" she asked her dear friend.

Valerie was silent for several minutes before she said, "I think . . . you are being followed by a demon, Angelique."

"A demon?"

"Yes, and a very unusual one at that . . . Here, let me see your hands." Valerie took Angelique's hands in hers and began chanting some mystic words in a language Angelique had never heard before in her life. Normally, Valerie's strange behaviors would scare away even the devil himself. However, Angelique trusted in Valerie's powers, especially after they had saved her life from a fatal car accident. When Valerie had ended her chant and looked up at Angelique, her eyes were as round as saucers. "Angelique . . . you are in for a dangerous road ahead of you."

"What do you mean, Valerie?" Angelique was frightened now. Never before had Valerie looked so frightened or serious. "What's happening to me?"

Valerie sat back and sighed. "I was right about one thing . . . you are being followed by an unusual demon, the spawn of Satan to be precise. He is drawn to you for a reason he can't explain and he feels he needs to know why he feels this way. He will stop at nothing to find you and figure out why he is drawn to you."

"Do you know why he's drawn to me like this?"

"Not exactly . . . but I know a way to find out . . . without meeting with Adrian, of course."

"Adrian?"

"Yes, Adrian. He's the spawn of Satan who's been following you." Valerie sighed again, not happy with these events. "If I give you a way to find out what you want to know, will you promise to never tell anyone about how I did it or anything about what you found out about yourself?"

Angelique blinked. It was an odd request, but she was certain she could handle it. "I promise, Val. I won't tell another living soul."

Valerie nodded, then pushed a button on her desk. "Freddie, Angelique and I are planning on takinga walk. Can you cover us for a little while."

"No problem, boss."

"Thanks, Freddie." Valerie grabbed her lightweight jacket and turned back to Angelique. "Come with me."

An hour later, Valerie and Angelique were standing next to a deep hole deep inside and far below Grand Central Station. Valeria had carefully explained to Angelique the only way to find out what it was about her that was pulling Adrian to her without asking Adrian himself was to see his father, Satan himself. "Now, I've placed a protection spell over both of us so we won't be affected by the intense heat of Hell's fire." Valerie placed a comforting hand on Angelique's shoulder. "Are you ready, hon?"

Angelique blinked. _Am I ready for this?_ She looked down into the hole, which seemed to be bottomless. _Well, there's no turning back now._ "I'm ready, Val." SHe took Valerie's hand as they jumped into the dark hole.

--

Nicky watched as the two women jumped into the only portal into Hell. "I hope they know what they're doing," he said to himself. "Otherwise, they'll die."

"So will you."

Nicky whirled around to find his eldest brother standing not too far away. "Adrian, what are you doing here?"

Adrian smiled wickedly as he walked proudly over to his brother. "I've missed you, Nicky. I came to see you and your family. It's been, what, two years . . . two years since you stuck me in that damn flask." His eyes flashed dangerously as he stopped just inches from his brother. "I haven't forgotten what you did to me, Nicky, and I'm going to make sure you pay for it. You'll watch as your precious family dies in agony moments before you join them."

"I won't let you do that, Adrian." Nicky stood up a little straighter as he faced his brother. "I'll go back to Hell in order to take you back."

Adrian laughed and slowly walked toward the train tracks. "Of course you would, Nicky. You love your family that much. However, I'm not after them right yet; there's something in my agenda I need to take care of first." He turned to his baby brother. "I decided it was only fair to warn you I will come after you and your family before I become the new ruler of Hell and Earth. After all, where's the fun if you don't even know I'm here?"

As Adrian watched his brother run down the street, the gears in his mind were spinning. His instincts told him Angelique came this way, but how could it be possible for her and her friend to use the portal to Hell? There was only one way to find out. With his mind set with determination, Adrian walked over and jumped into the portal.


	4. What?

Adrian followed the two females from a distance as they made their way through the dark corridors of Hell. Adrian bit back a laugh as he thought of how it was not all that long ago when he had broken out of Hell. However, he was more interested in watching Angelique, the way she moved when she walked, the way her hair rippled down her back like a small waterfall, the way she . . . Adrian shook his head at some of the thoughts entering his mind. _What in the world is it about this woman?_

He remained hidden in the shadows as he watched Angelique and Valerie approach his father's - soon to be his - throne. "Satan, I think I have found the one we've been looking for."

Satan turned to the two women who had approached his throne unannounced, then blinked in surprise. "_**It's good to see you again, Valerie, and who is this?**_"

Valerie gave him a serious look. "I think Angelique is the One, your Evilness. Adrian has been following her and trying to discover why he feels drawn to her."

_How in the hell did she know that?_ Adrian listened closely as the discussion became more serious. He watched as Angelique cocked her head as ig she had heard some side conversation, then turned to see if she was being watched. Adrian was too far back in the shadows for Angelique to notice him, yet it was almost as if she sensed his presence. Unable to see anything, Angelique shook her head and turned her attention back to the conversation at hand.

"_**Then she is the One. If Adrian is attracted to a woman who doesn't even know him and she presents this powerful aura all the time, then she is the One from Prophecy.**_" Satan studied Angelique's face and sighed. "_**She has the mark . . . it's almost invisible, but its there. The same symbol which Adrian wears as a medallion around his neck. Angelique, I'm going to warn you that your life will be dangerous from hereon in. We must keep you protected from Adrian's advances at all costs.**_"

"Not to sound rude and uneducated," Angelique interrupted, "but why do I need all this protection? Why is Adrian so drawn to me?"

Satan sighed. "_**The mark on your forehead is part of it. It's drawing Adrian to the One of Prophecy, just as it is written. The reason we have to keep the two of you separated is, according to Prophecy, you two are destined to either rule or end the world together. His attraction to you is unavoidable, since it is foretold that you will be . . . ahem . . . you will be his . . . his mate.**_"

_My mate?!?!?_

"His . . . _mate?!?!?_" gasped Angelique. Then she did exactly what any other mortal woman would do in her situation. She fainted.

--

"Angelique?"

Angelique woke to the intense heat of Hell and both the faces of Satan and Valerie looking down on her. "_**Are you alright, kid?**_" asked Satan.

She sat up slowly, letting her mind register she was still living. "I'm . . . okay. It's just . . . I never imagined anything like this would ever happen to someone like me."

Satan helped her to her feet. "_**What do you mean someone like you? Nothing's wrong with you.**_"

Angelique sighed. It had been years since she shared this story with anyone. It would probably be best to tell her protectors if no one else. "When I was a little girl, my father was very abusive to us. He started off just verbally abusing us, telling us we were ugly and no one would ever care about us if we died. Then, he started drinking and that's when the violence truly began." She looked away from them, hoping to blink away the tears beginning to form. "One night, he came home drunk as usually and started beating on my sister. He wouldn't stop, even after she went unconscious, so I called the police. I had just hung up when he turned on me and . . ."

Angelique paused. "I woke up days later in the local hospital ICU. They told me after he beat on me, he went after my mother . . . then committed suicide." The tears ran down her cheeks, soothing her face as she said, "I was the only one who survived."

_My god, the poor girl._ Adrian surprised himself with that selfless thought before she continued. Once again, she whipped around as if she had heard his voice, looking deep into the shadows as if trying to focus and find him in his hiding spot. When she again saw nothing, Angelique returned her focus to the floor at her feet.

"I've been alone ever since. I don't feel worthy of anyone, which is why I help out at the homeless shelter. I figured I could help them feel loved if I never could." She softly cried into her hands, making Adrian feel wrenched inside.

"Angelique, why didn't you tell me about this?" Valerie hugged the woman, surprised she hadn't seen it before. "I could have helped you get through this."

"Your help isn't necessary, Valerie."

Everyone turned around and Angelique gasped at the sight of whom she assumed to be Adrian. "She doesn't need help from any of you." He pointed his hand toward Valerie, sending her flying into Satan and knocking the two of them off their feet. He turned to Angelique, who was trembling with fear. "Come with me, Angelique." He held his hand out to her. "I'll keep you safe from these pretenders."

Angelique took a step back. "I r-remember you. You tried to take your father's throne two years ago. You almost won . . . and then your brother . . . Nicky, he stopped you. He saved me and everyone else from the eternal damnation you had created for all the people in Central Park." She took another step back. "You're evil. Stay away from me . . . I'm not going anywhere with you."

"That's what you think, love." He pointed his gloved hand at her and the next thing she new, she was flying over to his side. He wrapped his arm around her waist and said to his father, "Don't anyone try to follow me or the One will die. I won't hesitate to kill her." Angelique grasped at te hand at his waist in an attempt to free herself, but there was no way she would be able to break his firm grip. Adrian took his other hand and pressed his first two fingers into Angelique's neck, making her gasp in fright. "One wrong move and the One from the Prophecy will be bleeding all over your welcome matt."He backed up with his gloved fingers pressed into Angelique's jugular vein. "Stay back." He waited until he was clear before he transported them to his hotel room.

--

"_**Oh, my dear God.**_" Satan was on his knees, afraid for the poor girl his son had just kidnapped. "_**What have I done?**_"

Valerie put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "It's not your fault, father. We knew Adrian was bound to have Angelique one day." She sighed as she returned to her demonic form. "If it's anyone's fault, it's my own."

"_**Don't say that, sweetheart.**_"

"It is my fault, Dad. I was assigned to find the One and protect her. All I ended up doing was bringing her here and putting her into more danger." Valerie looked up into the sky, where she knew the angels were probably watching. "Holly, if you can hear me, please keep Angelique safe. She's our only hope against Adrian, and she knows nothing about our planes. Please guide her and help her to keep God and goodness in her heart." She turned to her father. "What should we do to help, Dad?"

Satan rose to his feet. "_**We'll have to go look for her. It's our only chance.**_"

"Not you, Dad. If you leave, what's to stop Adrian from stealing the throne? Jimmy would just get tossed out of the way again . . . and most of the demons would side with him anyways. And if he forces Angelique to marry him, he will become unstoppable." She shifted back into her human form. "I'll look for them. I can blend in with the human crowd better, anyhow."

"_**Alright, hon, but be careful. Adrian can be tricky. After all, he's the smartest and most ruthless out of you four.**_"

Valerie nodded grimly. "I know. That means I'm going to have to use every once of wits I have in order to stop Adrian and save Angelique." As she walked down the dark corridor to return to Earth, Valerie feared for Angelique's safety as well as the balance of good and evil for all three planes. If anything should happen to either of those, the endangerment of all things would hang over Valerie's head for the rest of eternity.


	5. The Meeting

"Sorry about that. Didn't really want to do that." Adrian released Angelique and she immediately backed up into a corner. "Oh, I see how it is. I save you from being protected for the rest of your natural life. Well, _you're welcome_ anyway!" He collapsed on the bed, annoyed with his situation. Here was the hottest chick on the planet sitting in his hotel room and she was afraid to get near him. "You could at least inform me as to why you're so afraid of me. I would like us to be on good terms when it comes time to be wed."

"You want to take over Hell again, don't you?" She managed to make her voice sound more confident than she felt. "That's the only reason you would want to marry me, so you can take your father's throne whether he likes it or not. I won't help you do it. You can't make me."

_Great. Another righteous good-doer._ "I _can _make you do it, Angelique, if I have to, but I would hope I won't have to. Please, just come over here, sit next to me, and we'll just talk."

"Nothing else?"

Adrian smiled. "I promise, nothing more than a nice chat between the two of us."

Angelique thought it over. _It wouldn't hurt for her to just sit and talk with him, would it?_ Slowly she rose and, even though she was still slightly shaking in fear, she walked over and sat on the edge of the bed, trying not to look at the Prince of Darkness.

"See? That wasn't very painful at all." Adrian looked her over, still unable to believe she was created to be his mate and future ruler of Hell. She was absolutely dazzling. "I heard about what happened to you when you were a child. I'm sorry."

She sighed a little, her voice still shaky. "Don't be. It's not your fault I'm not perfect."

Adrian sat up instantly. "What in the hell do you mean? You're absolutely gorgeous and you care for other people. If I didn't know better, I'd swear you were an angel."

Angelique blinked. "I'm not that beautiful, Adrian."

"Yes, you are."

"No, I'm . . ." Angelique was stifled as Adrian pressed his lips against hers, tasting her for the first time. Adrian moaned as the taste of her lips were both sour and sweet, building the desire he felt for the woman. He gently ran his fingertips over her soft skin, making her shiver.

Angelique was surprised at first, but soon she was lost in a wave of desire and . . . some other emotion she had never felt before. She felt a chill run up her spine as Adrian pulled her close, gently cradling her head and neck with his left gloved hand as he ran his tongue over her bottom lip. She gasped at the sensation, giving Adrian entry, which he willingly took the opportunity and explored every crevice of her welcoming mouth.

He tasted a bit of cinnamon on her tongue, the flavor spicing up the intense kiss. Angelique slowly followed his lead, exploring his mouth with the tip of her tongue. She was greeted with a strong mix of peppermint, alcohol, and pizza, which seemed to taste good in his mouth. Adrian moaned at the feel of her tongue mating with his own, of her body pressed tightly against his. He had never felt like this with any of the other women he'd screwed, of that he was certain.

Afraid of frightening her by moving in too soon, he gently pulled back. "I would never have kissed you like that if you weren't perfect," he whispered gently into her ear.

Angelique had no idea of how to respond to Adrian. She, too, felt as though he were the perfect man for her life, yet she knew that if he knew that too soon, he would use that in his plans to take over Hell. "Either that or you have terrible taste in women." Adrian's surprise gave her the chance to get off his lap and move to the farthest side of the bed from him. "I would put my money on the second option, seeing as how all you want to do is rule over Hell and Earth. Plus, all you see me as is 'another righteous do-gooder'."

"I never said that." _But I thought it_, Adrian admitted to himself.

Angelique cocked her head to the side, completely intrigued. It seemed as though she was able to 'sense' what he was thinking. "You thought it to yourself, though. Didn't you, Adrian?"

He was silent for a few moments. "Yes."

"I think I can hear your thoughts, Adrian."

Adrian blinked in slight surprise. "What makes you think that, Angelique?"

"You know what I mean, Adrian. I knew what you thought about me when I said I didn't want to help you take over Hell or Earth. You thought to yourself about how you had thought of how I was 'another righteous good-doer'. Right now, you're thinking about how right I am and how creepy it is that I can read your thoughts." She paused and blushed slightly. "And you keep thinking about how great a kisser I am and if I would be any better in bed."

He smiled and shrugged his shoulders. "I'm the son of Satan; having dirty thoughts just comes with the territory." He leaned closer so Angelique was within arm's reach and gently placed a hand on hers. "I did mean that, though, that you are a great kisser."

"Thanks . . . I think." She studied him for a moment. "I really wish I couldn't hear your thoughts right now."

His smile grew even wider as he imagined which thought she had heard. Deciding to play a small prank, Adrian projected every image he imagined of her in his bed, which included any and every position possible. "I'm sure you do."

Angelique's face grew bright red and she turned away from him, trying to block out the crude images he was purposely sending her. "Please, Adrian . . . please, stop."

"I'll stop." Adrian crawled over the bed to her as he saw the tears spilling down her cheeks. "I didn't mean to hurt you by doing that. Don't cry." Unsure of what else to do, he gently wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close, rocking her gently as he hummed a strange tune he had once heard his father sing to him when he was a little tot. "Everything will be alright, Angelique," he promised her, kissing the top of her head. "I'll protect you . . . no more pain.


End file.
